Charge

FA Rule E3 is presumably the one that says you can't slate a referee after he has given one of the worst displays in living memory and cost your team the chance of getting at least a point off your main rivals!

And it's a point that would have had a massive impact in the race for fourth, it's the new first, which now looks all but mathematically over for the Blues.

That lot over the park are that confident that we won't catch them that even Jamie 'Carra La' Carragher is patronizing us and saying what a good season we've had.

The buck-toothed turd!

Anyway, it looks like Moyes has received a slap on the wrist from someone at Soho Square, or wherever it is the FA suits knock about these days, and the charge relates to the comments made over the sending off of Tony Hibbert.

Clattenburg judged that Hibbert had brought Gerrard down in the area as the Liverpool captain raced through on goal but seemingly opted to show him a yellow card.

Until Gerrard, that likeable figure of integrity, appeared to have a word with the official and the yellow card was swapped for a red.

Moyes said of the incident: "The referee pulled out a yellow card and then the Liverpool captain has a word with him and it becomes a red."

Which, on the face of it, appears to be a fair comment as this is exactly what happened!

But, after six months of inexplicable dithering, the FA have come out and said that Moyes has been found guilty of a breach of FA rules.

An FA Spokesman said of Moyes' comments, made during the build up to the match against Larissa: "Having considered all of the evidence and submissions, the commission concluded that the comments would reasonably be interpreted as calling into question the referee's integrity and implying that he was motivated by bias.

He added: "The commission recognised the charged atmosphere of the game and the frustration that Mr Moyes was feeling.

"It also took into account his exemplary disciplinary record. However, the commission also stated that it is very important for managers to exercise great care in making comments about referees as they set an example for others."

But it speaks volumes that Moyes has neither been fined, nor given any sort of touchline ban, and you get the impression that the FA just wanted this matter dealt with and out of the way.

The charge also relates to a conversation Moyes had with Clattenburg after the match but no details have been given about what was said by either party.

And Moyes himself has not commented on the charge.

So, as far as the authorities are concerned, that's the matter over…but it will live long in the minds of Evertonians everywhere!

Moyes left Clattenburg with no doubts in his mind as to whathe thought of his refereeing display in the derby.